Hockeyroos Pay Penalty in Champions Trophy Final Defeat
The Hockeyroos had to settle for silver at the Champions Trophy in Mendoza after going down to the hosts Argentina in dramatic circumstances.
It took a shoot-out to separate the two sides after the match had finished 1-1 in regulation time with Argentina going on to win the shoot-out 3-1. It is Australia’s first Champions Trophy medal since winning silver in 2009.
It was a contest for which the Hockeyroos seemed to have saved some of their best hockey of a hugely successful year. In a game in which the Hockeyroos enjoyed the best of the chances, WAIS athlete Kathryn Slattery gave the Australian women the lead shortly after half time with a neat close range touch beyond Belen Succi before Florencia Habif levelled from Argentina’s only penalty corner four minutes later.
With the score deadlocked after 60 minutes the match went to a shoot-out. Australia appealed Luciana’s opening strike claiming the ball had not crossed the line after hitting both posts and rebounding out. Replays appeared to show they had just cause for the argument but the goal stood. Captain Casey Eastham struck for Australia after Georgia Nanscawen had missed her effort, but Argentina goalkeeper Belen Succi denied Karri McMahon and Emily Smith to win her team the trophy.
Speaking immediately after the match, Hockeyroos Head Coach Adam Commens said, “I thought we played very well. We created enough opportunities during the game to finish it off but their goalkeeper, Belen Succi, played a great match. We were not as clinical as we could have been though. It’s disappointing to lose in the shoot-out and I thought we were unlucky there, too.
“In the first half we needed to be a little more precise in our passing and we had to tidy that up in the second half.
“It’s fantastic to reach the final with such a young group and I’ve been proud of their conduct on and off the pitch throughout the tournament. The future looks good for the Hockeyroos. The competition within the squad is fiercer than ever, which can only enhance our progression.”
With much of the pre-match talk about the impending retirement of the heroine of Argentine hockey, the eight times World Player of the Year Lucania Aymar, the Hockeyroos found themselves on the back foot in the opening minutes. But after settling in, Australia took control. Emily Smith lashed a first time volley narrowly wide in the fourth minute while Karri McMahon saw a penalty corner kept out by the Argentina defence.
The Hockeyroos enjoyed the best of the second quarter but failed to find a way past goalkeeper Succi. Kathryn Slattery was denied twice and when Georgia Nanscawen did find a pass beyond the goalkeeper, Silvina D’Elia was on hand to clear from in front of goal.
Australia silenced the 5000-strong partisan home crowd just five minutes into the second half. Good work by Mathilda Carmichael at the top of the circle saw her create the space to thread the ball through to Kathryn Slattery, whose first touch in front of goal allowed her the space for a second, which she knocked home for 1-0. It was her first Champions Trophy goal.
Moments later Jodie Kenny came close to doubling the advantage from a penalty corner but her powerful flick was down the middle and tipped over the top by the goalkeeper. Then came Argentina’s reply. Finding a foot in the circle, Argentina took full advantage of the set piece with Florencia Habif deflecting the ball into the roof of the net on her knees in front of goal.
Australia refused to change their attacking ways, however, and it was the Hockeyroos that looked the most likely to score again. Succi, who would go on to pick up the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award, made two outstanding double saves; the first from Ashleigh Nelson and Emily Smith in quick succession, the second from Slattery’s close range diversion and Smith’s diving follow-up.
With the match heading for a shoot-out Australian hearts were in mouths with just seconds remaining as an Argentina shot to the back post dropped just centimetres wide.
In the shoot-out, Aymar stepped up first. With the tension at breaking point her powerful shot looked to have struck both posts and bounced back out with Australian goalkeeper Ashlee Wells calling on the video umpire to check whether the ball had crossed the line. Television pictures appeared to indicate the ball might not have crossed the line but the goal was given and Australia were on the back foot.
Georgia Nanscawen missed her shot before Carla Rebecci put Argentina two goals clear. Casey Eastham then coolly pulled one back but D’Elia struck for 3-1. Karri McMahon was then denied by Succi and while Delfina Merino blazed Argentina’s fourth effort wide, Succi stood strong to deny Emily Smith and earn Argentina their sixth Champions Trophy title.
The silver medal caps off an outstanding 12 months for the Hockeryoos that have seen Australia’s women claim silver medals at the World Cup and World League Finals, gold at the Commonwealth Games and a rise to number two in the world rankings.
Jodie Kenny narrowly missed out on the top goal scorer award in Mendoza. Finding the net five times, the same number as Argentina’s Carla Rebecchi, it was Rebecchi that picked up the trophy on account of scoring more field goals.
-HockeyAus